BA Spring School 2026: Chair Seating – Brigitte Graham

Tickets available from 10am Saturday 10th January 2026

Spring School at Harrogate Ladies’ College offers four full days to immerse yourself in basketry with top-class tutors. There is also plenty of opportunity to relax and get to know fellow basketmakers from all around the UK and beyond.

Both residential (single-occupancy room, shared bathroom, all meals) and non-residential (includes lunches and Sunday evening meal) options are available. In 2026 the ticket prices are:

• Residential: £645
• Non-residential: £380

Only one ticket is available per BA member, and material costs are payable directly to tutors at the end of the week.

By purchasing a ticket you are agreeing to the cancellation policy as detailed in the Basketmakers’ Association’s Terms and Conditions

Bursaries

There are 5 bursaries of up to £645 (sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Basketmakers’ Charitable Trust and the Basketmakers’ Association) and a travel bursary of £400 (sponsored by an anonymous donor) available for the Spring School.   Members of 2 continuous years’ standing may apply.

Please go the Bursaries, Awards and Cups section in the Members’ Area of the Basketmakers’ Association website for further information.

Course description

This course will cover all aspects of hand woven materials for chair seating: cane, rush, seagrass, Danish cord, and skeined willow.

You will need to provide your own chair(s) to re-seat and you should be able to complete at least one bedroom size chair over the course.  All chair frames must be sound (and polished, if required) before the course.  Unfortunately, there will be no repair shop this year.

Brigitte will contact you before the course to discuss your project.

Suitability: all abilities

Estimated cost of materials (payable directly to the tutor): £ 30 per chair

Your tutor

Brigitte has been a professional chair seater for 40 years.  Her work is fairly evenly divided between cane and rush but